India’s China Challenge

Abstract

The current transition of power in Asia has only intensified the protracted rivalry between New Delhi and Beijing. Buoyed by its recent growth, both economic and military, China has adopted a more aggressive posture toward India. Indian foreign policy discourse, however, remains deeply fractured on a viable strategy to manage China’s rise. Normalizing relations with Beijing has been prioritized by New Delhi and constitutes the second pillar of its hedging strategy. However, given New Delhi’s modest internal capabilities, the threat posed by China can only be managed through an external balancing strategy.